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He described his team's performance as shocking as he saw five of his old players involved in Burnley's win and said immediately after the game: "It was a major disappointment - that was our worst home performance by a mile.
'We never got going. If I knew why we were so bad I would have changed it after five minutes. We didn't get out of the blocks, the tempo of our game was poor and our passing was poor. Three days ago we were excellent against Leeds, and if we had played like that against Burnley we would have won. But we weren't at it at all.
"We haven't had a win here for a while, but in general our performances at Fratton Park have been good. I suppose after all the lads have been through this season, maybe we were due a dodgy home performance and we certainly produced one of those.
"We scored another good goal, but it's been a trait all season that we've conceded too many poor goals. We can't hide from that. We had three fitness tests before the game - Jamie Ashdown, Ritchie De Laet and Hayden Mullins - and at 4 p.m. I wasn't sure any of them were going to play. So it was a tough night all round.
"We're taking the players away for a few days of warm weather training, and unfortunately we're going away with a bit of a sour taste in our mouths. But hopefully the break will give the players a boost and re-energise them."
An unhappy former boss, but new manager Eddie Howe was very much a happy man as he saw his new team win for the first time for him in just his second game in charge.
"I thought the players were magnificent tonight," he said after the game. "In the first half I felt we controlled the game and in the second we dug in, defended for our lives and protected the lead when we needed to.
"We showed fantastic commitment and desire and all the hallmarks you need to win away from home. I couldn't fault anyone because they ran themselves into the ground and they will need a couple of easy days to get over it."
Howe changed things with Chris Eagles in a central role. "It is something we tried on Saturday," he recalled. "We had three formations there to try to get hold of the game and I like the look of Chris in there.
"We decided to go that way coming here and just give Chris a bit of licence to play off Steven Thompson, who was excellent. It gives Chris licence to roam and find the ball and I thought he was excellent, especially in the first half."
I don't think he could have chosen anywhere better than Fratton Park to get his first win as Burnley manager and added: "It's amazing how football throws things up and coming back here in only my second game in charge.
"I had a terrible time here, not through any fault of the club but through my injury, and it was a really dark time for me personally.
"So to come back here as manager was never something I thought I would do and to win as well rounds off a great day for us."